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Duckie

Duckie

SOH-CM-2024
Need some help folks. I just took the plunge and installed Windows 7 / 64. For now I'm running a dual boot system with XP. I'd like some advice or 1st hand recommendations for a good internet security suite. I'm currently using AVG free on the Win 7 OS and AVG paid on my XP which will expire at the end of this month.

AVG has been good but I've had a couple malware issues that I've had to clean up that AVG didn't catch.

I've done some reading and a couple I'm looking at are Bitdefender and Avast. AVG is not totally out of the running.

Anyone have any experience with Bitdefender and Avast that you can share.

More questions and requests for help wiTh FS9 and Win 7 coming soon!!!

Thanks in advance for your help,
Steve
 
Highly reccomend...

Duckie said:
Need some help folks. I just took the plunge and installed Windows 7 / 64. For now I'm running a dual boot system with XP. I'd like some advice or 1st hand recommendations for a good internet security suite. I'm currently using AVG free on the Win 7 OS and AVG paid on my XP which will expire at the end of this month.

AVG has been good but I've had a couple malware issues that I've had to clean up that AVG didn't catch.

I've done some reading and a couple I'm looking at are Bitdefender and Avast. AVG is not totally out of the running.

Anyone have any experience with Bitdefender and Avast that you can share.

More questions and requests for help wiTh FS9 and Win 7 coming soon!!!

Thanks in advance for your help,
Steve
Click to expand...

I've been using AVG payware... (only 39.95) and it is well worth it... also the payware AVG tune-up on my Window 7/64 professional...
not one problem ever... the free AVG was Ok before... but some things apparently got through... mostly malicious stuff... no viruses...

Personally, I would spend those few bucks... (I had used AVG free for a few years without any real problems... but decided to upgrade
and I am surely happy)

Cheers,
G_59
 
There are other threads on this topic here at SOH. I use AVG free, Malwarebytes and AdAware. I occasionally get popups from one or another that a threat was detected and quarantined. Were there really threats? I don't know but for last few years it's been good (insert jinx here). A friend recently recommended Panda but I haven't looked into it yet. Another strategy I use is to have another admin account with some of the same programs. I got hit about 6 years ago with a bug that just kept interfering with things. I deleted the primary account and the bug went with it. Bottom line is most people have their favorites and I suspect it has something to do with compatibility with whatever is on ones PC. Good luck with W7. I took the plunge a month ago and have had decent success tweaking what I think are irritating features out of the picture, apparently there's lots of people like me out there.
 
I have MS Security Essentials on this rig, and my wife's has Avast free. Combined with diligent clicking, we've had no issues.
 
Steve - I run both Windows Defender and Avast free on both my laptop and my FS rig. No problems (up to now) with either and/or both of them. That and REGULAR system scans seem to keep things up to snuff.

LA
 
I use Microsoft Security Essentials in the background at all times as a passive monitor. I have Malwarebytes and AdAware installed as secondary backups in case something happens and MSE doesn't catch it. I have access to McAfee through my school, but I'd sooner have a virus than have McAfee, I think...
 
First the built in Windows Firewall is more than adequate in W7.

I run Avast Free on my system with no issues.

Malwarebytes installed just in case.

The real issue with security is do not disable UAC for the sake of making life easier for you to run your computer and do not log on with your admin account. Doing so is how you allow yourself to be compromised easier.

You should log on with a normal user account and when you need to install a program or run one with admin privlidges it will prompt you for the admin user name and password.

For programs you need more control on you set the security permissions to full control on that folder only.

I wrote a document on it a while ago I should dig out and post someday.
 
Hi,
We have Malwarebytes, and Windows Defender running; but we also use Firefox and they have an addon called NoScript which stops everything ! until/ unless you allow it, which seems pretty good.


Andy.
 
I take no chances with this. Bitdefender every time.
It does the job, and doesn't get in the way - if you configure 'game mode'.

I also run SuperAntiSpyware every now and again, just for completeness.

Third prong of the trident? Backup, backup, backup!

Dave - not paranoid in any way
 
Hi Duckie,

Let me first start out by mentioning those NOT to use: McAfee and Norton. Both are quite heavy on the rigs they run on. Most free AV's are no good either. The Windows 7 firewall in this day and age is - I'm sorry to say - no more than a sheet of paper trying to stop a blazing fire. M$ Security Essentials doesn't do a whole lot either but is very light on the rig.

I've tried most of the ones mentioned above, but then a colleague of mine (we work in IT for our Government) pointed out ESET Smart Security. It is very light on the system, offers very very good protection, has a brilliant firewall and hardly no false positives at all. It is also not too expensive. 68€ for two years.

This is of course just MHO and tastes differ. But the best advice I can give you is to stay away from the free stuff. And to disable your windows firewall if you use a security suite that has one. Using two firewalls at the same time is a big NONO.

Take care and good luck,

Dumonceau
 
I have had really good results from Norton Internet Securities, (latest release of the full package).

<-- Knocks on wooden head...

I also use the Norton firewall, although the Windows firewall is very good.
Manual version (free) of Malwarebytes installed for the 'ornery stuff'.

Another excellent package is ESET Nod32.. (the full version). I use that on my other machine.

BB686:US-flag:
 
Thanks very much to all who responded. I appreciate your recommendations and advice. You have been very helpful. :encouragement:

Steve
 
OK folks, based on my overall impressions of the 3rd party commercial and individual reviews I could find, my previous experience with freeware and my current payware product performance, your comments and advice, I have purchased Bitdefender Total Security. It has consistently rated among the best performers for the last 3 years, it has a gaming mode, it has one of the smallest footprints and low hit on perfromance.

I went to make the purchase initially for the BD Internet Security version but everything was on sale and the Total Security version was $22.00 US less than what I expected to pay for the lesser version. It is installed and running. It took about 6 minutes to performa a total scan, automatically removed the AVG, went through the automatic set up process and was completed in a total of about 11 minutes. Now the proof will be in the pudding so we'll see!

Thanks again, ALL, for taking the time to input your comments.

Steve
 
Ive taken the plunge myself and have a new PC+Win7-SP1 arriving Friday so im following your posts carefully to pick up on any tips and pit-falls, i'd be intrested to know what problems you've had so far, been reading your post on the CS C130 for instance, so im guessing i have some payware( or freeware that use's installers) on disk that i may have problems with, thats half the fun of this flightsim lark :mixed-smiley-010:.
I know about installing FS9 outside the main directory, but what about any utilitys and tools for FS9, your a repainter for instance so im guessing your paint programs are outside also, im just thinking about my scenery tools when the time comes to set them up again, hope your up and flying.
cheers ian
 
Hello Ian,

I also did, as you are doing, a lot of reading prior to taking the plunge which helped tremendously.

Wish I knew who tipped me way back when to install everything outside my operating system that would allow it because I'd like to thank them! On my XP install that is exactly what I did. I have a large PC case with expansion bays a plenty so I have 4 actual HDDs. My XP was on 1 small partition (50GB) of 1 HDD. EVERYTHING other than office admin tools, productivity apps and the occasional app that required installation on the OS drive was put on it.

So, when I installed my WIN7 I did it on a completely new and separate HDD and used a DUAL BOOT for a bit. 100% of my apps and files were preserved in place. Win 7 recognized all but a few and no reinstalls of FS9 or GW3 were required, and only 2 payware AC have given me any problems and I expected those.

I would strongly recommend you consider doing as I did, install everything you reasonably can outside your OS drive.

The migration process from XP to Win 7, so far has been relatively painless. Several of my apps required reinstallation and I did run into a couple that would not run from disc due to OS incompatibility errors. These were mostly hardware related, and I was able to download updated software for all of the one's that would load, specifically sound card and printer.

My paint program, PSP9, moved over with only an inconsequential error, the Win 7 Aero System doesn't like it, but I disabled that system on recommendation and it works a charm.

One thing I did run into was upon reinstalling some updated drivers, one in particular would turn off another of my apps and make itself the primary app for a totally unrelated function! The updated AMD video card drivers (got a new video card) would install, without permission, new sound drivers and a new sound media playback app and turn off my primary sound app. That wrestling match went on for a couple of days before I caught on to what was happening. :banghead: I had to load the video drivers first, then reload my sound card drivers next, and disable the AMD sound devices the video card driver set had loaded. :dizzy:

Good luck with your new PC. So far in the short while I've had WIN 7 I like it. It seems to run much faster than XP did, and I can now use the rest of my 8GB of RAM!!!
 
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